Movie Mania

I did a triple this week...Morning Glory with Diane Keaton and Harrison Ford, Burlesque with Cher and Christina Aguilera and Love and Other Drugs with Jake Gylenthal and Anne Hathaway.

Now I love chick flicks but...Morning Glory was just OK with a thin plot line around two on air anchors who hate each other and the young ingenue trying to save the station.

Love and Other Drugs could have been a soft porn rating, altho' I really didn't mind staring at Jake's buff bod' for two hours altho' shocked that li'l Miss Princess Diary, Anne was all boobalicious throughout. Entertaining and somewhat depressing storyline but not much more.

And then there was Burlesque. Oh c'mon...Cher !!!!! She's not a one name icon for nuttin'. She's as gorgeous as ever, who cares about the plastic surgery, at 66, her bod' is one for the record books. OK OK, airbrushing, photoshop not withstanding, she is can do wrong with this viewer. I am a Cher, Bette, Barbra stalker:-) AND I think Christina deserves the Oscar the way Jennifer Hudson did for her first singing/acting role...astoundingly fantastic. So Gene Shalit, eat your heart out, that's my 2 cents and I'm stickin' to it.

Puttin' On the Elysian

Had a great time being the emcee for EO's (that's Entrepreneur's Organization) for their fashion show and oh so much more. The whirlwind behind all this is one Julie Northcutt, entrepreneur extraordinaire. It was held at the new gorgeous upscale Elysian Hotel in Chicago and the CEO, David Pisor kicked off the classy event with a great speech on his background and his vision for this new brand. There are apartments (if you can call an 8M home on top of a hotel as such) that have monthly taxes of 12k, that caused quite an audience gasp. After the fashion show, we were all treated to fabulous food and drink, dancers, makeup tables, jewelry displays, it was a tour de force in luxury (right up my proverbial alley:-) They filmed it live to a global audience of EO members and now posted it on YouTube...if you are so inclined http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0kXqVeZBlQ
At this Thanksgiving time, I am truly so thankful for the amazing opportunities I have been afforded through my various careers as a speaker, coach, consultant, Vistage Chair along with the people I have met, the places I have gone (I sound like Dr. Seuss) and the blessings of sharing these experiences in the hopes of inspiring others to live life outrageously.

MIrror Mirror on the Wall

Who do you look like after all? I have been plagued, OK maybe that's too strong a word, I have been taken for someone else my whole adult life. Now mind you, they are all people I am happy to have been taken for but sometimes I wonder what is it about that look-a-like phenomenon? I was at dinner tonight and did the same thing to my dinner companion.

Now if you've heard me speak you know I've been taken for Barbra Streisand, with dark hair, Lainie Kazan, now as a blonde, Suzanne Somers, Dolly Parton (I wish:-) and always no matter the hair color, my shero, Bette Midler who I truly believe is one of the most talented people on the planet.

What's my point? There is none, who said I had to have one, lol?

Whether or Weather?

Just got back from San Diego where arguably they have the greatest weather in the country. I returned home to a gorgeous Fall Sunday in Chicago. Have you noticed that the WEATHER is often the predictor of WHETHER or not you do things... well it is for me.

I don't know if I suffer from SAD Seasonal Affected Disorder or just feel so inspired to do things in and outside when it's so beautiful weather wise. OK, so my BFF got me MBT's and if you don't know what those sneakers are...they are the first physiological footwear that has a positive effect on the whole body. I walked miles in them today and my whole body aches...in a good way...I think. So enough of this, I need to go soak in a hot bath but can't decide "whether" to do that or just go sit outside and enjoy the great crisp "weather".

Shoe Be Doo Story

I have an annual Shoe-per Bowl party in February but to augment my penchant for shoes I just had a Design-Your-Own-Shoes party with 30 fabulous women. Thanks to pal Merit Gest (now in Denver, formerly of Chicago) who knows, as you all do, my love of shoes. She sent me an article from the Business Journal about Kate Friedman’s Atelier Shoes parties. Being the proactive gal I am, I immediately called Kate and she flew in for my event. When you get a bunch of savvy, great looking, smart females together for networking, food and shoes you get quite the energy buzz. So much so that my male neighbor came crashing in, lol.
Naturally we had a Halloween theme as it was that weekend and I made trick or treat goodie bags for the gals to take home filled with a ghost shaped bath gel and some homemade chocolate chip cookies. I served lots of wines and Prosecco, candied apples from Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory - like S’mores, Snickers, English Toffee, all devoured by my guests. Gal pals also loved the fabulous mini cupcakes from Flirty Cupcakes (at the intersection of ooh and aah). We mixed, we mingled, we shared, we shopped, we ate and a good time was had by all.
As I always ask my Vistage members, "And what did you learn from this experience?”
I learned not to have a party that ends at 1AM when you have to get up the next day at 5AM for a flight to NYC.
For those of you who want to custom design and order your own shoes, or have your own shoe party, go to Kate’s website, put in the code mikki and order away (no, that does not mean I am buying them for you). And for you men who read this column (and I know you do) what a unique and great gift certificate for the holidays.